How To Use a TENS Unit for Knee Pain

Posted by Rebecca S.
on
April 13, 2016

Using a TENS Unit for Knee Pain and Proper Placement of the Electrode Pads

The knees are one of the
most used joints in the body. They are used for all kinds of daily activities,
including walking, running, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of
your car. They are also responsible for carrying the weight of your body.

Unfortunately, as a
result of excessive use, trauma, or injury, it’s not uncommon for pain to
develop in the knees. When you experience knee pain, your life can be greatly
impacted. Not only can it limit your mobility, but it can negatively impact
your well-being.

Causes of Knee
Pain

There are several reasons
why knee pain can occur. Some of the most common causes include:

Tendon Ruptures. This happens when the quadriceps and the patellar
tendons rupture either partially or completely.

Damage to the Meniscus. Injuries or trauma can cause a
piece of the meniscus to tear off and float in the knee joint, causing
significant pain.

Dislocation. A powerful blow to the knee can cause the lower leg to
become completely displaced in relation to the upper leg. This can stretch and
tear the ligaments, the arteries and the nerves. A dislocation is rare and is
considered a limb-threatening emergency that requires immediate medical
attention.

Managing Knee
Pain

In the most serious
cases, surgery may be required to fix the damage to the knee and ease the pain
that damage causes. For those who do not require surgical treatment, a TENS
unit can be used to help manage pain in the knees.

What is a TENS
Unit?

A transcutaneous electrical
nerve stimulation (TENS) unit is used as a treatment strategy for pain. A TENS
unit is a small, battery-operated, portable device that sends electrical
signals to the sight of the pain and helps to control that pain.

How to Use a TENS
Unit for Knee Pain

In order for a TENS unit
to provide proper pain relief, it is imperative that the device is placed in
the appropriate location. Determining exactly where the pain in the knee is
located is crucial, as this is the location where the pads need to be placed.

You also need to
determine how many pads you need to place on the localized area of knee pain.
Two or four pads are most commonly used to treat pain. Two pads are typically used while four electrode pads will cover a wider area.
The spot where you will place the pads of your portable TENS unit depends on
where the source of your pain is located. Common locations for pad placement
include:

The
sides of the knee, the
back of the knee, and the
front of the knee:

Typically for the placement
of the pads, you should avoid the kneecap. Generally, when using the TENS
pads, you want to surround the kneecap by placing a pad on each side. If needed
you can place four pads totally surrounding the knee. Also, not on the above illustration, but occasionally people will suffer from pain in the back of the knee and placement on the back of the knee is acceptable too.

Once in place, turn the
device on to produce electronic muscle stimulation. With proper placement, this
form of electrotherapy can greatly reduce the amount of pain that you
experience in your knee and can provide some increased range of motion and flexibility.

Get Information
about our TENS units for Knee Pain

There is a wealth of
TENS unit reviews and testimonials that supports the pain relief
that TENS therapy can provide. If you already have a TENS machine and want to upgrade to the world's best tens unit with impeccable customer service, then feel free to
order here.

Here at
Utopia Gear, we
can answer your questions about transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
(TENS) therapy for knee pain and our TENS and EMS devices. Email us at
customerservice@utopiagear.com or call us at 888-237-4997.